Railway car suspension



Nov. 29, 1960 A. F. SEELIG, JR

RAILWAY CAR SUSPENSION 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 29, 1956 Nov. 29, 1960 A. F. seams, JR

Rummy cm SUSPENSION 6- Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 29. 1956 Nov. 29, 1960 A. F. SEELIG, JR 2,961,974

RAILWAY CAR SUSPENSION Filed March 29, 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 .5'6 JZA Nov. 29, 1960 A. F. SEELIG, JR

RAILWAY CAR SUSPENSION 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 29, 1956 INVENTOR.

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RAILWAY CAR SUSPENSION 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 29, 1956 IN V EN TOR.

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RAILWAY CAR susmusxon Filed March 29, 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 931 INVEN W6 K United States Patent RAILWAY CAR SUSPENSION Albert F. Seelig, Jr., St. Louis, Mo., assignor to American Steel Foundries, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Mar. 29, 1956, Ser. No. 574,872

Claims. (Cl. 105-471) This invention relates to vehicle suspension arrangements and more particularly to a multi-axle suspension arrangement for railway cars.

The invention comprehends an arrangement wherein a railway car is resilienly supported by a plurality of single wheel and axle assembly units spaced substantially equi-distantly from each other longitudinally of the vehicle.

As is well known to those familiar with the art, railway cars, and especially freight cars, are conventionally supported by a pair of four-wheel trucks disposed at opposite ends thereof. Although double truck suspension for railway cars has been used for over a hundred years, this arrangement is far from satisfactory. The primary disadvantage of a supporting arrangement of this type, that is wherein a vehicle is supported only at its ends, is that the tremendous pressures exerted at the center of the vehicle require unnecessarily heavier car frame construction than would be necessary for the same type of vehicle if it were supported at a plurality of points spaced equi-distantly from each other. It has been determined, for example, that in a standard 40 foot 6 inch railway car supported from three axles spaced equidistantly (for example, 13 feet 6 inches) from each other, the bending moment at the center of the car is 80% less than the bending moment in a car of the same type which is supported by conventional double truck arrangements.

It will be readily apparent therefore that an equidistant axle suspension arrangement will permit car frame construction that is much simpler and lighter, and consequently less expensive, than the conventional railway car construction.

In addition to reducing the cost of construction of the car itself such an arrangement would make possible more even floor loading of the car, the use of the wider center doors, the use of a split center sill under the car thereby making room for larger and improved draft gear equipment. Also the reduction of the number of supporting axles, from four to three, would make the use of anti-friction bearings more attractive both costwise and maintenancewise.

Although these and other numerous advantages of multi-axle suspension for railway cars have been appreciated by car builders for a long time, until now, no one has been able to provide a completely satisfactory multiaxle suspension arrangement at a reasonable cost of production. The one great problem to be solved in the design of such an arrangement is that of successful negotiation of curves. Not only must the wheel and axle assemblies adjust to the position of the track in order to avoid derailment, but the center of gravity of the car must be maintained as close to the center of the track as possible at all times.

After much research and experimentation, I have discovered a method of multi-axle suspension for railway cars which is relatively simple and economic from the standpoint of production and which at the same time permits a satisfactory operation of the cars including proper negotiation of curves.

I have accomplished this by providing an entirely new and novel means of controlling the limited lateral movement of the separate trucks or wheel and axle assembly units.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide a novel suspension arrangement for a railway car wherein the car is supported by a plurality of individual wheel and axle assembly units spaced from each other longitudinally of the car.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a multi-axle suspension arrangement employing three separate wheel and axle assembly units spaced equi-distantly from each other.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a multi-axle suspension arrangement for railway cars having limited controlled horizontal or lateral movement of the wheel and axle assembly units relative to the car body.

A more specific object of the invention is the provision of a multi-axle suspension arrangement wherein the intermediate wheel and axle assembly unit is afforded limited lateral movement transversely of the car and wherein the end wheel and axle assemblies are afforded limited lateral movement in the radial path about a predetermined pointon the car body.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the examination of the following discussion and drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of a railway car embodying one form of my invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of an end wheel and axle assembly arrangement embodying features of my invention.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an end elevational view of the structure shown in Figure 3 (only one-half of the unit being shown as it is symmetrical about its longitudinal vertical center plane).

Figure 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of an intermediate wheel and axle assembly embodying features of my invention.

Figure 7 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in Figure 6.

Figures 8 through 14 correspond to Figures 1 through 7. respectively, but illustrate another form of my invention.

It will be noted that certain elements have been intentionally omitted from certain views where they are illustrated to better advantage in other views.

Referring now to the drawings (and particularly Figures 1 through 7) it will be seen that a railway car having a body portion indicated generally at 20 is shown as supported by three wheel and axle assembly units or trucks, which include an intermediate unit 22 disposed centrally of the car and a pair of end trucks 24 disposed on opposite sides of and preferably spaced substantially equi-distantly therefrom.

Each truck or wheel and axle assembly unit includes a frame indicated generally at 26 mounted on a single wheel and axle assembly 28 which comprises an axle 30 having a pair of wheels 32 mounted thereon.

Referring now to Figures 6 and 7 of the drawings, it will be seen that each frame 26 is substantially rectangular, as seen in plan view, and comprises a pair of longitudinally extending vertical side members 34 interconnected at their respective ends by a pair of preferably integrally formed transversely extending horizontal members 36. The side members 34 are preferably of the pedestal type, each having an upper longitudinally extending shelf or bar 38 with a pair of pedestal jaws 40 depending therefrom to present a journal opening 41 for reoceipt of a journal 39 housing the ends of related axle J To resiliently suspend the car body from the trucks, a pair of support brackets 42 rigidly secured to and depending from the underside of the car body are disposed to present arms 44 extending under the ends of the respective shelves, each arm 44 presenting an aperture 43 in substantial vertical co-alignment with an aperture 45 (Figure 7) in the related shelf 38.

The car body is actually hung from each truck frame by four swing hangers indicated generally at 46 which extend through the co-aligned apertures 45 and 43 of the frame and bracket, respectively. The upper end of each hanger is provided with a semi-spherical portion 48 seated in a complementary spherical recess 49 of the side member shelf 36 to provide a ball and socket type of universal joint connection 51 between the shelf and the hanger. A bearing 53 may be inserted between the portion 48 and the recess 49. The lower end of each hanger is provided with a preferably arcuate flat spring plate 50 upon which is seated a helical spring 52 on which supports the car body. It is apparent that the universal joint connection 51 between the hanger and the frame permits the lateral movement of the frame and related wheel and axle assembly relative to the car body.

Still referring to Figures 6 and 7, it will be seen that the ends of each intermediate truck side member shelf 38 are provided with extensions 54 having resilient pads 56 which engage adjacent inner sides of the related body brackets 42 to limit the lateral movement of the center trucks and related wheel and axle assemblies to movement in a direction substantially transversely of the car body.

Referring now to Figures 3 to of the drawings, it will be seen that the end trucks 24 are of basically the same construction as the intermediate truck 22 (illustrated in Figures 6 and 7) except that the side member shelves 38 do not have the extensions 54 and consequently their lateral movement is not limited to movement transversely of the car. However, the end trucks are provided with guide means indicated generally at 58 (not found on the intermediate truck). The function of the guide means, as explained more fully below, is to guide the end assemblies in a radial path about a fixed axis X relative to the car body to maintain the axle in line with the track radius as the car negotiates curves.

The guide means 58 comprises a transversely extending guide bar 60 disposed adjacent and parallel to the axle 30. The ends 62 of the guide bar are turned inwardly toward the axle and are preferably bifurcated to permit their connection to inwardly extending side member lugs 64 by pins 65. Although the ends 62 of the control bar are shown in the drawings as being connected to the frame side members, if desired, they could be connected directly to the wheel and axle assembly as at the journal means. An upwardly extending guide arm 66 preferably formed integrally with the center portion of the guide bar 60 is provided with a spherical surface 68 seated against a spherical portion 69 of a guide bracket assembly 70 rigidly secured to and depending from the car body to provide a ball and socket type universal joint connection 67, between the guide bar and the car body. The bracket 70 is preferably disposed at the longitudinal center line of the car which is indicated by the line A-A on Figure 3 of the drawings. It will also be noted that any desired type of brake rigging such as that indicated generally at 72 may be mounted on the guide bar 60.

In operation, it will be understood that as the car encounters a curve in the railroad track the end trucks are free to angle with respect to the transverse center plane of the car while the intermediate truck is free for a lateral movement transversely of the car. The guide means 58 including the universal joint connection 67 is operable to guide the end wheel and axle assemblies in a radial path about a fixed vertical axis relative to the car body so the end axles are in substantial alignment with the track radius at all times. As the intermediate axle is free for limited lateral movement transversely of the car it would not be expected to turn as the car pivots about its center.

Another form of my invention is illustrated in Figures 8 through 14 of the drawings. This embodiment is similar to that illustrated in Figures 1 through 7 and corresponding elements have been indicated by numerals corresponding to those in Figures 8 through 14. However, in this embodiment I have employed rubber air bellows or pneumatic springs 152 resiliently supporting the car body from the frame 126. As best seen in Figures l0 and 11, a pair of pneumatic springs or rubber air bellows 152 are seated on the respective ends of the side member adjacent the ends of the shelves to engage and support the underside of the car body.

In order to limit the downward movement of the car body, the side member shelves 138 of the end truck frames are provided intermediate their respective ends with upwardly extending stops 147. These stop members 147 also serve as fulcrum blocks for pivoting the guide bar arms 164 to the frame by pins 165. Because the pneumatic springs have negligible lateral stiffness, the wheel and axle assembly units or trucks are also afforded freedom for limited lateral movement. The radial movement of the end assemblies is, as in the first embodiment, guided about a fixed axis X relative to the car body by a control bar having an arm 166 connected to depending car body brackets by a universal joint connection 167 of the type illustrated in detail in Figure 10.

A spring assembly 161 may be provided to resist angular movement of the end assemblies and, as best seen in Figure 10, comprises a bolt 153 supported at one end by an inwardly extending guide bar extension lug 155 and intermediate its ends by a bracket 157 rigidly secured and depending from the car body. A pair of preferably helical springs 159 are sleeved on the bolt and disposed on the respective sides of and in abutting engagement with the bracket 157. Nuts 161 serve to maintain the springs in tight compressional engagement with the bracket 157 so that movement of the guide bar 160 in either direction is resisted by the related spring 159.

Referring now to Figures 13 and 14, wherein the intermediate truck is illustrated, it will be seen that another spring assembly arrangement 163 may be provided to limit the lateral movement of the assembly to a direction transverse of the car and also resists such movement. This arrangement comprises a horizontal transversely extending bolt 167 supported intermediate its ends by a bracket 171 rigidly secured to and depending from the car body. The ends of the bolt 167 are connected to and supported by a pair of horizontally disposed parallel control arms 173 which are pivotally connected at one of their ends to a transverse member 134 of the frame and at the other of their ends, respectively, to a pair of brackets 175 rigidly secured to and depending from the car body. A pair of helical springs 177 are sleeved on the bolt and disposed on the respective sides thereof adjacent the control bracket 171. The springs are maintained in firm engagement with the bracket by nuts 179.

The parallelogram linkage and spring assembly serves to restrict the movement of the wheel and axle assemblies to that in a direction transversely of the car and to resist such movement.

In operation, this embodiment is similar to the first described embodiment except for the pneumatic car body supporting springs, the parallel control linkage and spring assembly, and the spring means employed to resist lateral movement of both the end and intermediate trucks.

Thus in both forms of my invention I have provided a practical multi-axle suspension arrangement for freight cars of simple construction and operation, wherein the end truck can angle and the intermediate truck can pivot laterally as the car negotiates a curve and wherein the end trucks are so guided that the longitudinal axes of the axles are parallel to the radius of the track at all times.

It will be understood that although I have described and shown a car supported by three wheel and axle assembly units, the invention is in no way limited to an arrangement including only three suspension units for the same principles of my truck movement control arrangement is applicable to other arrangements utilizing more than three suspension units.

I claim:

1. In an axle suspension arrangement for a railway car, the combination of: an intermediate and a pair of end wheel and axle assemblies, each of said assemblies comprising a single axle and a pair of wheels, the intermediate assembly being disposed intermediate the ends of the car and the end assemblies being disposed between said intermediate assembly and the respective ends of the car and spaced substantially equi-distantly from said intermediate assembly, an intermediate and a pair of end truck frames mounted on the respective assemblies and offering resilient support for the car, each of said frames comprising a pair of side members journally receiving the ends of a related axle and interconnected by a pair of transverse members, spring means disposed to react between the frames and car body to provide resilient support for the car body, said end frames each comprising a guide bar connected at opposite ends to the side members adjacent the ends of the axle and connected intermediate its ends to the car body, said guide bars serving to guide the end assemblies in a predetermined radius about a vertical axis fixed relative to the car body as the end assemblies angle with respect to the transverse vertical center plane of the car, and other spring means disposed to react between the guide bars and the car body to resist the angling movement of the end assemblies, said intermediate frame including a pair of longitudinally extending parallel control arms disposed intermediate the ends of the frame and spaced transversely of the frame from each other, corresponding ends of the arms being secured to the car body and opposite corresponding ends being connected to one of the transverse members of the intermediate frame, said control arms being operable to provide controlled lateral movement of the intermediate assembly transversely of the car, and spring means disposed to react between the control arms and the car body to resist the lateral movement of the intermediate assembly.

2. In a railway car, a car body member, a truck member comprising a wheel and axle assembly and a frame supported thereby, spring means disposed between the truck frame and the car body and accommodating horizontal and vertical movement between the members, a pair of parallel control arms connected at corresponding ends to the car body and connected at opposite corresponding ends to the frame, and spring means disposed between the control arms and the car body and operable to restrict the horizontal movement of the truck relative to the car body.

3. In a suspension arrangement for supporting a railway car body on a wheel and axle assembly, the combination of: a single unitary frame, including journal means, non-resiliently supported on said assembly; spring means, with generally vertically extending axes, interposed directly between the frame and the car body for resiliently supporting the latter on the former; said spring means accommodating both vertical and horizontal movement between the frame and the car body; and guide means connecting the frame directly to the car body to limit the direction of said horizontal movement.

4. A suspension arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the guide means movably interconnects the car body and the frame and serves to limit said horizontal movement to movement in a direction extending transversely of the car and the frame.

5. A suspension arrangement according to claim 4, wherein said guide means includes a pair of generally horizontally disposed parallel arms having corresponding ends pivoted to the frame and having opposite corresponding ends pivoted to the car body.

6. A suspension arrangement according to claim 3, wherein said guide means pivotally interconnects the frame and the car body so as to limit said horizontal movement to relative rotational movement about a vertical axis, the position of which is fixed with respect to the car body.

7. A suspension arrangement according to claim 6, wherein said guide means includes a bifurcated control bar having one arm pivotally connected to the car body and having a pair of oppositely extending arms nonpivotally connected to the frame adjacent opposite sides thereof.

8. A suspension arrangement according to claim 3, and including generally horizontally disposed transversely extending spring means disposed to react between the guide means and the car body and yieldingly resist said horizontal movement therebetween.

9. A suspension arrangement according to claim 3, wherein said spring means comprises a plurality of rubber air bellows seated on the frame adjacent the corners thereof.

10. A suspension arrangement according to claim 3, wherein said spring means comprises a plurality of helical compression springs seated on spring seats presented by hangers suspended from the frame adjacent the corners thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 238,978 Sisum Mar. 15, 1881 261,371 McLachlan July 18, 1882 484,186 Ellery Oct. 11, 1892 819,189 Warner May 1, 1906 1,022,054 Warner Apr. 2, 1912 1,096,367 Head May 12, 1914 1,954,705 Kruckenberg et al Apr. 10, 1934 1,973,816 Kruckenberg et al. Sept. 18, 1934 2,011,918 Stedefeld et al. Aug. 20, 1935 2,080,180 Messier May 11, 1937 2,377,883 Hickman June 12, 1945 2,843,057 Markestein et al. July 15, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 331,045 Germany Dec. 29, 1920 24,145 Great Britain Sept. 6, 

